Stepping out safely makes great sense

TAKING part in Walk Safely To School Day on Friday makes good sense for a whole raft of reasons physically, emotionally, environmentally and more.

Walk Safelyto SchoolDaywas devised 13 years ago to help the environment by getting more cars off the road, and also to encourage kids to hop off the couch and into the great outdoors.

Tamworth West Public Schoolteacher and Walk Safely To School Day co-ordinator Karen Gurney said not only does it give parents an ideal chance to have some one-on-one time with their children, it also affords them the opportunity to discuss road safety on the spot "With so many distractions about these days, simple road safety skills can be a real life-saver," Mrs Gurney said.

Teaching your child to cross the road at intersections rather than anyrandom spot, waiting for the stop sign man to go green at the lights, using pedestrian crossings and most of all, being patient, are all helpful skills for a child to learn at an early age." Surveys have revealed that more than 60 per cent of primary school-aged children are being driven to school, with many getting very little exercise as a result of this.

"If the current trends continue, more than one in three children will be overweight or obese by 2020," Mrs Gurney said.

"We must beat childhood obesity.

That’s why we urge all parents, careers and children to put their feet first and actively participate in National Walk Safely to School Day and then to walk as much as possible, because walking is the best exercise for most people.

"These days so manyparents are both working and just about everyone is time-poor, so making the effort for this one day a year can be a great starting point. Even if you can’t walk the whole way to school, you could park a few blocks further away than normal and leave a bit earliet" For the first time this year, parents, carers and pupils can go online to find and plan their best walking route to school at walk. com. au

Caption Text:SAFETY WALKERS: Courtney, 6, mum Joh and Chloe Mulligan, 4, are stepping out for Walk Safely to School Day at Tamworth West Public. Photo: Barry Smith 140512BSA03